Worgen Moon
by Fire Gemron
Summary: Shain must deal with the destruction of her home, the death of the man she loved, and the infection which changed her life.  She must get stronger in order to fulfill the promise she made while her love died. To kill Sylvanas Windrunner.
1. Chapter 1

It felt like I had just nodded off after a particularly intense sparring session with my teacher when I heard loud noises from outside my townhouse. The house had belonged to my father though I had just recently begun using it. Orphaned at a young age, I actually grew up at Greymane manor, the home of our King and his son, like something between a servant and an honored guest. The king had apparently known my father, though I myself knew little beyond the name he left for me. But I digress.

Without bothering to put armor or even a jacket over my light cloth shirt, I stepped to the window, drawing back the heavy curtains and glancing out into the narrow, brick-and-stone streets of Gilneas City. My breath caught in my throat. The city was overrun with worgens! Half man, half wolf, they seemed to press in from everywhere, attacking the few guards I could see with striking claws. They stood on two legs and, though they all looked slightly different, they all shared powerful, heavily muscled physiques. Through the swarms of worgen and fleeing townsfolk, I caught sight of a person mounted on horseback – my dearest friend, Prince Liam Greymane.

I stuffed my feet in boots, and grabbed my sword from it's place on the floor near my bed, throwing it across my back before bolting outside. The city was floundering in chaos. I pushed my way through to the open, stone lined grassy square where Liam was fighting.

"My prince!" I called.

He pushed a worgen away and looked at me. The prince was a handsome man, strong, with short reddish hair and beard. His gray eyes regarded me quickly with surprise. "Shain! What are you doing here?" he demanded. "You need to get out of here!"

"No," I answered. "I'm not leaving you."

He sighed slightly, eying a group of three worgen stalking closer. "Fine. Then go pound on doors, get people to evacuate."

I nodded even though he wasn't looking. I could forgive him for being short with me, given the present circumstances. I drew my sword and dove into the crowds of worgen. There weren't quite so many here, not as many as I had first thought. I moved past the worgen, who seemed to pay me very little regard, and went to the first door, pounding on it. After several moment,s a person opened it, and came rushing out. This went on for some time, before people stopped answering the doors I knocked on. I returned to Liam.

"My father is near the east bridge. Go help him with the evacuation," Liam told me.

"What about you?" I asked.

"I'll be along in a bit, now go." I started to move away while there were few worgen around Liam's hand grabbed my wrist and I twisted around to look at him. He had a scratch drawn down his cheek, bleeding darkly against his pale skin. My stomach knotted. He looked like he wanted to say something, but after a moment, he sighed and released me. "Be careful."

I nodded slowly, wishing I knew what he had seemed to be close to saying. There was nothing for me to do, so I set off through the now dark, curving streets to find the king. Tall blocks of brick and wood townhouses pressed in around me. Howls echoed throughout the city. I kept my sword in hand as I ran. I wasn't a great warrior, but at this point, anything was better than nothing.

The king, along with one of his nobles Lord Godfrey, were on horseback up ahead of me. The king smiled when he saw me. "Shain."

I bowed slightly to him. "Your majesty. How may I help?"

He sighed. "Lord Darius Crowley has been called many things. Rebel. Traitor. Terrorist. Before the civil war I called him...friend. I never blamed him for leading an insurrection against me. His land and people were separated from Gilneas by a stone wall... but we had no choice. Regardless... Crowley is exactly the type of person we need now. Enter Stoneward Prison and ask Captain Broderick about Crowley's whereabouts. I'd send my own men, but there's still bad blood."

I nodded and began to walk away when a riding crop tapped my shoulder. I glanced back to find Godfrey looking down his nose at me, his circular glasses making his eyes bug-like. I raised my eyebrows at him, dipping my shoulder to slip away from the crop.

"Greymane wants to save Crowley? Has he gone mad?" I just frowned at him and moved away. I disliked him. Quite fiercely. I made my way to the prison, hoping this captain was still alive.

The captain was holed up in a stairwell in the prison. He told me that Crowley and some of his men were up on the roof above us. I bolted up the curving staircase and onto the widow's walk above. At the center of the rooftops, there were four men, one injured. The injured man laid back in a small shed, one man kneeling over him, while the other two protected him. I recognized Crowley instantly. He had longish, gray hair and an eye patch over one eye. He eyed me closely, like he was sizing me up as I trotted across the widow's walk toward them. I explained, breathless from running, why I was there, before he decided to take the wooden plank in his hand to the side of my head. He nodded.

"One of those mangy fleabags got Dempsey real good. We cannot move him until we stabilize his bleeding. Give us a hand holding back these mongrels. A couple of minutes is all we need."

I nodded and looked over the rooftops of the city. There was a large, cathedral-like building across from us. The full moon stood behind the ornate roof of that building, and suddenly, I saw figures crawling over the sides.

"Here they come," Crowley snarled.

I clutched my sword anxiously. Sweat slickened the wire-wrapped grip. The worgen dove over the rooftops at us. They aimed for the injured man, but Crowley and his friend barred the way. I squared off with a large Alpha worgen. He swiped wildly at me, not seeming to know much – if anything – of fighting techniques. It was not too hard to maneuvered my sword around his flailing claws. I tried not to think about the blood that ran across the widow's walk at my feet as I faced more worgen. Most of those left were smaller and weaker than the alpha I had faced. Between my sword and Crowley's...plank...they did not last long.

"Don't relax just yet," the older man growled at me.

I had noticed more figures on the roofs, as well. Many of them held back, looking warily at us. A large, brown furred worgen crouched near enough that I could hear him growling low in his throat. From behind us, the injured man groaned.

"It looks like its over for now," Crowley muttered to me, still eying the dark shapes. He turned to me. "Thanks to you, a good man survived. What's your name?"

"Shain," I answered softly.

"Listen, Shain. For the first time since the civil war, I agree with Greymane. Now is the time to put aside our quarrel. It sure doesn't look like these beasts much care whether you're a rebel or a royal. Send word back to Greymane. My men will join his. There's a safehouse not far from here, in Josiah's cellar. My lads stashed some heavy artillery there. Tell our kin that my arsenals are now at his disposal."

"Will you be alright?" I asked.

"We'll be on our way soon enough," Crowley assured me.

I nodded slightly, turned and fled the rooftop. There were more worgen on the streets now, and a brief flare of panic gripped me. I went back to the king who was glad to hear about Crowley's assistance. He sent me to go check on the arsenal. The building was sandwiched between two narrow streets, with an alley connecting them, all mercifully free of worgen. The cellar door was unlocked, and opened easily when I pulled on it. I moved down the stairs and stopped.

It was indeed a munition storage, with crates, weapons and even big pieces of heavy artillery stuffed into the dark cellar. It was lit by a few oil lamps. What really was the man huddled in the corner, Josiah I assumed. He looked ragged and frightened.

"Hello?" I asked. When he didn't respond, I stepped close. I reached out to touch him on the shoulder.

"No! Stay away!" His cry melted into a gut-churning howl. In an instant he had changed from a man to a heavy, furred beast. His jaws closed around my outstretched wrist before he lifted me up and threw me across the room. I hit the bottom of the staircase on my back, pain exploding through my ribs. All I saw was the worgen diving toward me as I struggled to stand.

"Down!"

The feminine cry was accompanied by a gunshot, and the worgen crumpled at my feet. Gasping, my stomach turning with fear and pain, I peered at the bundle of gray fur, before leaning back, lifting my eyes to the staircase, now dreading what I may find there.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing, including some dialogue, which is occasionally taken straight from the game.

* * *

Standing on the stairs above me was a woman with long brown hair. She wore a long dress, and held a rifle. Two mastiffs flanked her. The woman eyed me. I slowly dragged myself up from the floor.

"Are you alright?" she asked

I held my wrist slightly behind my back. "Yeah, thanks to you. Who are you?"

"Lorna Crowley," she answered. "Our king is looking for you."

I nodded and slipped past her up the stairs before pausing and glancing back at her. "Go on, I"ll keep the artillery safe," Lorna said. I just nodded again and headed out of the basement.

In the alley, I paused to look at my wrist. Several angry puncture marks ringed it like a bracelet. The skin around them was swollen and pink, like the beginning of an infection. I wrapped it quickly in linen bandages from my small belt pouch. Hoping it would be alright, I headed back to King Genn.

When I got there, I found Crowley standing there talking to him. Crowley nodded when he saw me. Prince Liam was standing near his father. He smiled openly when his eyes met mine. I saw so glad to see that he was alright. I came over to them, listening to Crowley and King Greymane talking about evacuation plans. Liam came to me.

"Are you alright?" he murmured, eying me anxiously.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I smiled at him. I was more worried about his safety than mine. "And you?"

His eyes caught sight of my wrist. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

"Huh?" He grabbed my arm and pulled it up so he could see my bandaged limb better. "Oh no, no I'm fine. Liam, what's going on?" I asked, pulling my arm away from him. I didn't want him to know what had happened in the cellar.

He didn't answer.

There seemed to be more and more worgen around us every moment. There was no way we could evacuate the rest of the city without worgen picking people off at every turn. I watched Crowley talking to the King, who suddenly seemed very tired. Liam, too, looked worn, older than I knew him to be. I thought of the townsfolk, looking to those two for strength. Maybe it was time for someone to be strong for them.

"If we can make it past the gates into Duskhaven, we'll be safe. The eastern mountains are virtually impassable," King Genn was saying.

"We need to keep the worgen's attention in the city, Genn. It's the only shot we have for the survivors to make it to Duskhaven," Crowley said.

"I'll stay behind with the Royal Guard, Father. It is my duty to Gilneas," Liam chimed from beside me. My stomach knotted.  
Crowley turned to him, frowning slightly. "Not a chance, boy. Gilneas is going to need its king's undivided attention. Can't have your father wondering whether his child is alive or not." Liam frowned., but said nothing to that. I was glad that Liam wouldn't be staying behind. I had another plan forming.  
"My men and I will hole up inside the Light's Dawn Cathedral. I've already given the order and the cannons are on their way. Lead our people well, Genn," Crowley finished.  
"We were fools to take up arms against each other, Darius. The worgen would've never stood a chance," King Genn said sadly.

It seemed as though Crowley was smiling a little. "I"ll need someone to help me get the worgen to follow to the cathedral." Crowley said.," Crowley said.

"I'll help," I said. Crowley smiled, as though he had known all along that I would be the one to help him.

"Shain!" Liam gasped.

I just looked up at him and smiled. "We have to help the townspeople get out. Lord Crowley is right, you're needed outside of here. At least I can do this to help."

He gripped my hand. "No, I don't want to lose you," he said lowly, quietly enough that no one else seemed to hear.

I placed my hand over his and squeezed it gently before pulling it off. "Things will be fine." But I knew I was lying.

Liam looked at me for a long time, frowning. Then he sighed deeply, turned his back on me and walked over ot a small group of evacuating townspeople. It hurt to watch him turn his back on me. He was my prince, my friend, the man I loved, and he just walked away during a very tough time for both of us. Did he think I wanted to go off to my probable death?

Idiot.

My temper and annoyance toward Liam pushed me to Crowley again. The older man was watching me curiously. My hurt feelings pushed aside any uneasiness I felt. I was determined now to help if only to prove that Liam couldn't push me around.

"You don't have to do this, Shain. You've done more than enough already," Crowley said. "But if you decide to stay...I'd be a fool to turn you away. My men have fortified their position inside the cathdral and are ready for what comes next. I'm about to head there and take as many of these flea-ridden devils with me as I can. You're welcome to come along for the ride."

"What do you need me to do?" I asked.

Crowley twisted around to pick up a torch and a bundle of smaller sticks. "While I'm getting us to the Cathedral, light and throw these at packs of worgen to get the demons to follow us."

I nodded and took the two items from him. Crowley grabbed the reigns of a nearby horse and swung himself up onto its back. I climbed carefully up behind him. Juggling the torch and tinder, and trying to hold on to the horse and Crowley, I glanced over my shoulder. Liam was watching me, his mouth a thin, set line. I felt like smiling at him, or blowing a kiss, or _something _but I didn't. I just looked away. Crowley called something back to me, but I did not hear him, and then we took off. We tore through the narrow streets choked with worgen. I prepared the first little torch and threw it. Angry, burned worgen turned to follow us. My wrist burned. I was afraid to even look at it. I tried to focus only on throwing the torches, not my wrist and most certainly not the look in Liam's eyes as I left.

"I'm out of torches!" I called to Crowley, tossing the last one at four male worgen.

"We're almost there," he shouted back. I grabbed onto the back of his shirt as he pushed the horse faster. A worgen snapped at us and just barely missed. I prayed we really were getting close.

I glanced ahead and saw the spires and stained glass of the Cathedral rising before us. There were several cannons at the steps leading to the building. Crowley barreled up the stairs I fought to hold on. He stopped and I slipped to the ground, stumbling when I hit the hard, white marble steps.

"The time has come, Shain. If we're going to put a dent in their numbers, the time is now. We have the position. We have the firepower. All that remains to be seen is whether we have the courage... and I sure don't see a coward standing in front of me," Crowley smiled grimly.

I reached one of the cannons t a sprint and threw myself onto it, grabbing a torch from a nearby man to light it. The roar was deafening, and the cannon rocked back with the force of the blast, nearly taking me from my feet. I heard the squeals and whimpers of wounded worgen above the cannon blasts and my heart wrenched. I tried not to think of how much they sounded like dogs. I liked dogs.

Several men scrambled to reload my cannon and when they were out of my way, I fired it again, only slightly more prepared for the cannon's recoil. More worgen fell, an more scrambled forward to take their place. A few cannon blasts later, I heard the call to fall back and reluctantly left my cannon, turning to Crowley.

"You've done well," he said "You've done more than could be asked of any Gilnean. We're running low on ammunition. It's time to regroup inside now."

I glanced around at the worgen before following him and the rest of his men inside.

"We've got a good chokepoint here," the lord addressed his men when we were all assembled inside. "Feel free to say a prayer if that 's your sort of thing. Take courage and let's kill these mutts."

We didn't have long to wait. Worgen pushed into the chapel and we met them head on. I helped several of the defenders take out a few before squaring off against a female worgen on my own. Female worgen were oddly pretty with their lupine faces and curvy feminine figures. They were not nearly as stooped or vicious looking as the men. They were just as strong though. She swiped at me, and I blocked quickly, rolling my sword around to cut at the worgen's side. She jumped back, giving me more room to maneuver. I slashed her deeply across the chest. She squeaked and jumped back more. I followed her, dogging her. It was her or me, and I didn't really want it to be me. I lunged forward with a shout, my sword burying deep in her belly. She dropped to the floor when I pulled it out. I felt somehow strangely numb.

The chapel was silent, no worgen in sight aside from those that littered the floor as I joined Crowley once more at the front of the room where he stood by the large, stained glass window. He frowned, looking around. "They...They've stopped coming." I began to smile a little, and he frowned more deeply at me. "No, Shain. That's not a good thing."

A dark shadow began to grow on the stained glass widow behind him. I gasped. As if I had shouted a warning, Crowley turned toward the widow as the glass shattered inward. The worgen landed heavily on top of him. A rain of crimson glass shards, like blood, fell around us. People were screaming. Wrgen were snarling. But all I could see was the full moon beyond the shattered window.

All I could hear was a worgen's howl.


End file.
